IMPERIAL SEALS THE DEAL FOR BOOKIES GOLDEN CHELTENHAM

In what can only be described as the most dire four days of betting that Cheltenham punters have ever known, the win of Imperial Commander was another nail in the coffin.

Previously billed as the ‘War of the Worlds’ by bookies, the titanic clash between Kauto Star and Denman became a damp squib in the Cotswold drizzle as the locally trained Imperial Commander at 7/1 upset the odds, but provided the locals with a lot to cheer about.

Punters across the land wagered a record £40million on the clash today, David Hood, spokesman for William Hill, said: ‘’Bookies couldn’t make it up this week, they have enjoyed some stellar results (only three winning favourites up to the Gold Cup), and it will take punters until the World Cup to get over the shocks this week.”

The Gold Cup wasn’t a complete ‘skinner’ for bookies, as both the winner and the third Mon Mome were exceptionally well backed each-way horses. “Mon Mome was the surprise gamble from 150-1 into 50-1, but I have no doubt that many remembered his Grand National win and kept the faith again. That said, he has saved William Hill £550,000!“

A punter with a series of 10p accumulators confidently predicted that Imperial Commander and Denman would be placed winning £450,000, but Mon Mome’s last gasp effort to snatch third from Carruthers saved William Hill from that becoming a £1million pound win.

Cheltenham Gold Cup 2011: 4-1 Imperial Commander, Kauto Star, 8-1 Denman, Weapon’s Amnesty, 12-1 Big Buck’s, 16-1 Diamond Harry, Long Run, Punchestowns, Somersby, 20-1 bar (Each Way 1/4 1,2,3)

3.20 Cheltenham Gold Cup Result 2010 

1st 6 Imperial Commander (IRE) 7-1
2nd 5 Denman (IRE) 4-1
3rd 8 Mon Mome (FR) 50-1
Tote Win £8.20
Pl £1.70, £1.60, £7.90
EX £36.60
SF £34.81
Tricast £1304.21
Winning Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies
Winning Jockey Paddy Brennan
Distances 7l, 23l
Kauto Star 8-11 fav
11 ran

3.20pm totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup Odds

Guide to the Cheltenham Gold Cup Horses 2010 with betting odds provided by Ladbrokes

No.	Colours	Form	Horse	Approx. Odds	BET	Trainer	Jockey
1		204-P01	Calgary Bay	66/1		Miss H C Knight	G Lee
Real chasing type who didn’t fulfil initial promise as a novice but got right back on track upped to 3m at Doncaster in December, jumping well and scoring easily. Worthy of consideration.
2		114-512	Carruthers	50/1		M Bradstock	Matthew Batchelor
Carruthers Front runner who is clearly most at home under testing conditions. Won small-field graduation event at Newbury over Christmas, but couldn’t cope with a revitalised Taranis at Cheltenham next time, essentially ending his Gold Cup ambitions at a stroke.
3		50PP/05-	Cerium	500/1		Paul Murphy	D N Russell
One-time smart chaser for Paul Nicholls but firmly on downgrade nowadays and yet another unrealistic Grand National runner for eccentric owner.
4		311-4P2	Cooldine	8/1		W P Mullins	Paul Townend
Cooldine Top-notch novice last term, posting a performance on a par with Looks Like Trouble and Denman (both subsequent Gold Cup winners) in winning RSA Chase here last year. Things not really gone to script since, however, turned over at Punchestown following month and reported to have coughed when running abysmally in Lexus on his return. That said, he comes here on a high having bounced back to his very best when second to Joncol in Irish Hennessy last month and sure to be popular in the market without the ‘big two’.
5		1/22F-1U	Denman	4/1		P F Nicholls	A P McCoy
Denman A leviathan of the modern era, as much for his pair of Hennessy triumphs as his Gold Cup defeat of Kauto Star two years ago. Latest success at Newbury, from a BHA mark of 174 no less, was notably significant as it marked him out as being better than ever after enduring a frustrating 2008/9 before another setback came his way last month, looking beaten when unseating first-time partner McCoy three out in the Aon. Sure to be primed for this day a whole lot more than that one and bottom line is that, by clear water, his form marks him out as the second best horse in the race.
6		161-P25	Imperial Commander	8/1		N A Twiston-Davies	P J Brennan
Imperial Commander Injury ended a highly promising novice season, but bounced back in no uncertain manner with twin successes at this track in 2008/9, namely in Paddy Power and Ryanair, and showcased his right to be taking on the top three milers when going down by a whisker to Kauto Star in Betfair Chase on return. Beaten over a furlong by that rival in the King George when early mistakes cost him dear and even the merest repetition will soon see him found out once again.
7		1U11-11	Kauto Star	4/6		P F Nicholls	R Walsh
Kauto Star A thirteen-time Grade 1 winner, incorporating two Gold Cups, and put simply the best chaser of the past forty years. Faultless run around here twelve months ago levelled the score with stablemate Denman, but unbelievably surpassed even that performance when producing a quite stunning display to land fourth straight King George at Kempton on Boxing Day. Supremely accurate jumper and, if he is on song—and there have been few more genuine and reliable horses in the history of the sport—he will be virtually impossible to beat.
8		01-P346	Mon Mome	150/1		Miss V Williams	A Coleman
Mon Mome Moment in the sun came when winning last season’s Grand National and repeat bid presumably been principal objective this term, not showing enough when sixth at Haydock last month to suggest he’s up to improving on that position in this company.
9		6P/6220-	Mr Pointment	500/1		Paul Murphy	K Whelan
Lightly-raced staying chaser who impressed when winning Becher Chase over these fences in 2007/8. Often finds little, though, and overlooked even if he’s presumably been laid out for this.
10		553-205	My Will	100/1		P F Nicholls	Nick Scholfield
My Will Spent most of his career in the shadow of more illustrious stablemates, three of whom finished ahead of him when he was fifth in this contest last season. Lacklustre display in calmer waters when last seen in December and bit to prove now.
11		2121-21	Tricky Trickster	14/1		P F Nicholls	B J Geraghty
Tricky TricksterWon four-miler at the Festival twelve months ago on what was just his fourth start over fences. Thereafter acquired with the explicit intent of winning this year’s Grand National. Narrowly got up in Aon at Newbury last month, though remains likely he’s yet to show all of which he’s capable. No surprise to see him pushing for a top-five finish.

Kauto Star and Denman are set to renew their rivalry in the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup 2010, in what promises to be a blockbuster battle.

Trainer Paul Nicholls believes both horses will arrive at Prestbury Park at the peak of there power’s and with the series level at one apiece, this year’s renewal will decide who is the undisputed Champion of Champions.

Join totesport today and place your bet on who will win the Gold Cup. Watch the Cheltenham Gold Cup Video as the excitement builds.

 It’s finally upon us… the eagerly awaited rematch between Kauto Star and Denman in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. Kauto Star has two Gold Cups to Denman’s one but it’s one-all in races where they’ve both competed. Who’s your money on this year?

Kauto Star v Denman – A Great Sporting Rivalry
Increase the excitement ahead of the big race by watching our totesport Gold Cup video.

Read the Racing Post verdict on the totesport Gold Cup from 7pm
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Three Extra  Each Way Place Cheltenham Races
4 places on the Triumph Hurdle
4 places on the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle
5 places on the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle

 5/1 Free Bet Offer
Back a winner at 5/1 or bigger on any live Channel 4 race on totesport Gold Cup day and totesport will match your winning stake with a free bet to use on any race at Uttoxeter on Saturday. totesport has given away free bets to thousands of customers already! Free bets available from 9am.

£269,605 tote Jackpot Rollover
The Cheltenham tote Jackpot has rolled over once again so there is over a quarter of a million pounds in the pot before any money is bet on Friday. Can you hit the jackpot on totesport Gold Cup day?

Paul Nicholls feels that Kauto Star is a certainty for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and he will tell Racing Post readers why in his column on Friday, which will inevitably cause the odds to tumble, and, while I would not advise you to play your hand too early as rain is forecast and his price is sure to drift, Cheltenham dries out quickly, and with the New Course, over which the Gold Cup is run, also riding faster than the Old, where they race on the first two days, set your alarm clocks early on Thursday and steal first run on the champion trainer by snapping up anything above 2-1 for the 2007 champion. Says Geoff Lester

I was fortunate to have an exclusive walk around Ditcheat with Nicholls last month – a week before the official press tour – and he left me in no doubt that Kauto Star was the one to be on and is angry that the horse has never received due credit for his achievements.

“Kauto Star is a hell of a horse – you show me another Gold Cup winner who could bounce back to win another King George and finish second in an exceptional Gold Cup,” said Nicholls, adding “The ground is immaterial – it was barely raceable when he won at Down Royal and not much better when he won his first Tingle Creek, and the key to this horse is keeping him fresh and having him right on the day. I made a mistake in running him in the Ascot Chase before Cheltenham last year – it took the edge off him, but this year he has just been kept ticking over since Kempton. He is the complete package, he has speed and stamina, and he is flying at home. Bring it on.”

Confident words, and Nicholls, who is far from convinced that Denman has recovered from his gruelling Gold Cup victory last March – “he didn’t even have the energy to put his head out of the top of the box the following morning,” – predicts that Neptune Collonges, who ran such a great race last year to finish third, is the one for the forecast. Neptune Collonges lost his confidence when taking a heavy fall in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas, but extensive schooling did the trick and he looked at the top of his game again when he won the Irish Hennessy back there in February.

All the value has gone about Madison du Berlais, who was surely flattered by his Kempton win as, besides Denman, Alberta’s Run never ran any sort of race, so the form is probably worth less than the Euro.

Royalists will probably support Barber’s Shop, especially when they read that The Queen is attending, but he needs to improve a stone, and, for me, the other one for the tricast is Exotic Dancer, who was runner-up to Kauto Star two years ago.

Exotic Dancer has been beaten by Kauto Star seven times – the only time that he finished in front of the Nicholls horse was when Sam Thomas fell off the favourite at the last at Haydock – but he showed he was not yet ready for his pension book when winning the Lexus and at 10-1 and with AP McCoy aboard he represents the each-way value.

This is the week in which we are told to ‘Beware the Ides of March’, but, while before steaming in blind on the favourites, it is worth noting that of the 25 races at the Festival last year only two were won by the “jolly”, Kauto Star is one market-leader that I do expect to win.

This season’s totesport Gold Cup may be showing a short-priced favourite in Kauto Star at 7-4, but the Blue Riband of the jumps season has a much more open look to it than the betting would suggest. By Clive Weight
Trainer Paul Nicholls plans to field a strong hand in this year’s renewal of the extended 3m2f contest, with Kauto Star favourite, last year’s winner Denman and Neptunes Collonges filling the first three places in the market.
However, with doubts surrounding Nicholls’ runners, the value would appear to lie elsewhere. This certainly isn’t a race to get too heavily involved in, as it is possible to see a number of scenarios occurring in the latest renewal.
Where better to start than with last year’s winner Denman. Often seen as a big-track bully, this huge nine-year-old gelding has something to prove after his bubble burst at Kempton last time when coming home a punch-drunk 23l adrift of Madison Du Berlais over 3m.
The key to Denman is to allow this giant striding horse to dictate matters, which usually results in his rivals crying enough as he grounds out a relentless pace. But that spark was missing last time, and after his much reported heart scare, it is difficult to get carried away with his chances, no matter how much he may have needed that run last time.
Stablemate Kauto Star, winner of the Gold Cup two years ago, tried his hardest to follow-up last year, but he couldn’t match Denman for pace that day and here he tries to become the first horse to regain the Gold Cup. A total of 35 attempts have been made to recapture the crown, but as of yet none have managed it.
Looking at his form this year, his Champion Chase win at Down Royal in November aside where he beat just four rivals, he hasn’t looked the force of old.
Many may argue he was impressive in landing a third King George at Kempton last time, but he loves the track and beat very little of any note in what looked a substandard renewal of the Boxing Day showpiece.
That said, he is the class act and has been here before and got the T-shirt, but would you be willing to back a 7-4 shot knowing he is likely to make at least one major blunder at his fences? He has to be on the shortlist, but the race has a feel of an improving contender troubling the old guard.
Second favourite, and the third of Paul Nicholls’ runners in the race is Neptunes Collonges.
The eight-year-old boasts an impressive set of form figures, winning or having been placed in 13 of his 17 starts over fences, the latest of which an demolition job of his five rivals in the Irish Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup.
Many pundits were waxing lyrical as to his chances of landing the premier prize in jumps racing after that 5l win over Notre Pere, but again, that form looked some way shy of what is needed to win a race of this nature.
Nicholls’ stable jockey Ruby Walsh must have had some sleepless nights in choosing what to ride, and for me it speaks volumes that he abandons Neptunes Collonges for Kauto Star, for all that he got it wrong last year when partnering Kauto Star instead of Denman. It should also be remembered that Neptunes Collonges is prone to the odd mistake at his fences.
Jonjo O’Neill’s Exotic Dancer ended a barren run of no wins in winning by 20l in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown last time, but the winning margin flattered the nine-year-old, who boasts a good record at Prestbury Park (four wins and three placed efforts from nine starts).
Had Neptunes Collonges not fallen two out that day, and with The Listener also tipping up, the form of that race also looks rather suspect. He rates another who looks as though his very best days are behind him, and it will rate a rather poor Gold Cup if he comes out on top.
Exotic Dancer’s stablemate Albertas Run chased home Kauto Star in the King George last time, just 8l adrift but, like the above, it’ll be a poor renewal if he has his head in front of the rest at the line. The same could be said of Air Force One, who chased home Madison Du Berlais in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury in November.
It could be argued Air Force One was giving the winner 3lb that day and was beaten only 3l, but whereas he was emptying at the line, Madison Du Berlais stuck on gamely to the line.
And so we come to the young upstarts. On official ratings, The Queen’s Barbers Shop needs to improve 23lb to match Denman, but as we all know, it isn’t easy to get a handle on an improver until they tackle the very best, an opportunity he will get here.
The seven-year-old son of Saddlers’ Hall has been lightly campaigned with just seven starts over fences, but there is no mistaking he is going the right way.
He started off the current campaign with a tremendous two-and-three-quarter second to handicap ‘good thing’ Imperial Commander in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham over an extended 2m4f, pulling 11l clear of the third, before going on to frank that form with a cosy win over an extended 3m at Ascot, allaying fears of his not staying beyond 3m.
He wasn’t stopping that day, and at 14-1 he rates one to be interested in. Also, throw in the fact trainer Nicky Henderson has a decent record at the Festival with his stable also showing a return to winning ways in the past week and you have an obvious candidate.
The other improving runner in  the line-up is David Pipe’s Hennessy Gold Cup winner Madison Du Berlais.
Prices vary from 6-1 with totesport to 9-1 with William Hill. Many aren’t convinced of his credentials due to him wearing cheekpieces, often a sign of an ungenuine sort, but in 1999 See More Business wore blinkers to success and there is no doubting Madison Du Berlais’ wins this term.
Yes, holes could be picked in the form of his thrashing of Denman last time at Kempton when dishing out a 23l rout of that rival, but he galloped them into submission that day, has proven he stays the trip and his two most impressive wins have come on good to soft ground which, unless there is a deluge of rain, is what he should get again on Friday. Even if not, he has won on soft ground in the past.
 
In summary, doubts surround Denman’s soundness. Neptunes Collonges is consistent, but he may again have to settle for a place and is abandoned by stable jockey Ruby Walsh, while Exotic Dancer’s best days may be behind him.
The three that make most appeal are Kauto Star, but as his price is so cramped, a punt on improving pair Barbers Shop at 14-1 (Coral, Ladbrokes, Totesport) and Denman’s conqueror Madison Du Berlais at 9-1 (Hills, Paddy Power) look the value in what promises to be an intriguing contest.